You’re engaged! One of the first and most-asked questions you’ll get is, “when’s the wedding?” Selecting the perfect date can seem overwhelming but there are a few key ways you can narrow it down.

Here are three things to consider before you can design those save the dates.

Start with the season.Have you always pictured yourself a spring bride? Does your hometown look positively stunning in winter? Maybe the fall is the perfect season to visit your preferred destination wedding spot. Or a summer dinner under the stars sounds like a wonderful way to celebrate your wedding. Once you figure out the season you’d like to have your big day, you can narrow it down from there!

Look at meaningful dates.Once you decide on a season, try to pick a few dates that might fall on a weekend. Perhaps either of your grandparents or your own parents were married during the season you’ve picked! “Borrow” their wedding date for a special tribute to them. Or, maybe your favorite holiday holds special meaning to you as a couple and you can create a wedding weekend surrounding that date.

Meet with your preferred vendors.Ultimately, your date might be solidified by the availability of your favorite vendor. Whether you’ve had your eye on that special photographer or you’ve picked a can’t-live-without venue, you may need to have some flexibility depending on their availability. Decide your one or two must-book vendors and check their schedules before you pick THE date! You may need to put down a deposit to ensure the date you want is locked in.

Remember, the further out you plan, the more likely you are to secure the date you want that everyone (friends, family and vendors) can work with.